Poll: How many of your clients came from ProZ.com? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How many of your clients came from ProZ.com?".
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| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X) 
United States
Local time: 09:04
Spanish to English
+ ...
Certainly under 25%. I do receive inquiries from agencies that have found me on ProZ, and some have followed through. But this work doesn't represent as much as 25% of my business
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Last year, I’ve issued 90 invoices to 27 different clients (direct clients and translation agencies): 5 were new (4 through my Proz profile, 1 by bidding), 5 are long-standing (not through Proz), 1 came through another platform, 4 were recommended by colleagues, the remaining are repeat customers. All in all, I’d say between 25 and 50%.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 18:04
Spanish to English
+ ...
Before getting into translation full-time, I was a TEFLA trainer for several years and the majority of my early contacts came through that activity. For example, in an advanced English conversation class for adults, the head of sales for an international company asked me if I knew their current Spanish German translator, and if I was interested in translating the material for them into English. As it happens I did, and the company started sending me manuals and commercial texts to translate, and... See more Before getting into translation full-time, I was a TEFLA trainer for several years and the majority of my early contacts came through that activity. For example, in an advanced English conversation class for adults, the head of sales for an international company asked me if I knew their current Spanish German translator, and if I was interested in translating the material for them into English. As it happens I did, and the company started sending me manuals and commercial texts to translate, and they were my first regular company client. I worked with them for several years after that, although in the past few I've had little or nothing from them, but they still have my number if they need me.
My contacts with regional government, who used to send me a lot of work, also came through teaching, as did my first university clients.
On the other hand, I have had some fruitful collaborations with colleagues contacted through proz, and have occasionally recruited translators for the odd project translating from languages that are beyond my remit (Portuguese and Russian). ▲ Collapse
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| more than 75% | Jan 30, 2022 |
I issued 54 invoices to 10 different customers in 2021 (all agencies) and I realise that 2 long-standing agency customers don't come from proz.com and accounted for 15% of my sales.
I secured one of them in 2009 after sending an unsollicited e-mail because I had seen their work, liked their website and thought I could be a good fit. I started with the other one in 2000-2001 after being introduced to them through a colleague and friend working in the opposite combination.
From these 1... See more I issued 54 invoices to 10 different customers in 2021 (all agencies) and I realise that 2 long-standing agency customers don't come from proz.com and accounted for 15% of my sales.
I secured one of them in 2009 after sending an unsollicited e-mail because I had seen their work, liked their website and thought I could be a good fit. I started with the other one in 2000-2001 after being introduced to them through a colleague and friend working in the opposite combination.
From these 10 customers, 4 have been with me for more than 10 years and 3 for less than 5 years (the latter exclusively from proz.com, less than 2% of sales).
Philippe
Edit: None of the two agencies going bankrupt in 2001 and 2010 with my money (€3700+1500, of which 1000 recovered) came from proz.com: unsollicited printed letter sent by post for one and recommendation from a fellow translator for the other.
[Edited at 2022-01-30 13:31 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | matt robinson
Spain
Local time: 18:04
Member (2010)
Spanish to English
It depends what you mean by "from". I have used their database to contact agencies in the past, but I would/could have found the same information from other sources, and I sometimes receive enquiries from potential clients who have read my profile. None from bidding; I rarely bid.
[Edited at 2022-01-30 12:20 GMT]
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 18:04
French to English
I have bid successfully several times but none of them have become regular clients.
| | | | polskiexpert
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:04
Member (2010)
Polish to English
+ ...
| Good business tool! | Jan 30, 2022 |
Less than 25% - some clients have become my regulars, some have 'moved on' and use me less often. Overall proz.com has proved to be a successful way of developing business!
Speaking of percentages, approx. 80% of income result from 20% of all businesses (regardless, if from proz.com)
Happy hunting (good clients)!
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| Far Less Than 25 % | Jan 30, 2022 |
I found the agency clients I used to work with, on a more or less consistent basis, before 2011, by doing Internet searches. I can count the book projects that have been offered on proz, at least in my languages pairs, on less than two hands. That said, I was awarded one literary project from Spanish, on the history and culture of Cuba, as well as one for which I translated some art history texts from French, because of my participation on proz, since 2006. My most lucrative and long-lasting pro... See more I found the agency clients I used to work with, on a more or less consistent basis, before 2011, by doing Internet searches. I can count the book projects that have been offered on proz, at least in my languages pairs, on less than two hands. That said, I was awarded one literary project from Spanish, on the history and culture of Cuba, as well as one for which I translated some art history texts from French, because of my participation on proz, since 2006. My most lucrative and long-lasting projects have come from direct clients. In a couple of instances, I worked for them over a period of years, on one project after another. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 12:04
German to English
I've applied for very few jobs via Proz with no result.
The unsolicited jobs are either scams or specify rates that I would have sneered at had they been offered 20 years ago.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 14:04
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| More than 75% | Feb 1, 2022 |
Let me repeat here that ProZ has many many users that pay their annual fee, keep waiting for the jobs to fall on their laps, and keep applying for jobs in the "Browse Jobs" section. Then they complain that they can't get jobs/clients in ProZ. Dear, you have a Porsche and you wanna drive it like a Beetle? That's why.
Good clients find you and contact you according to (1) your profile; (2) your references (WWA); and (3) your points in KudoZ. So, yes, it takes some dedication and participati... See more Let me repeat here that ProZ has many many users that pay their annual fee, keep waiting for the jobs to fall on their laps, and keep applying for jobs in the "Browse Jobs" section. Then they complain that they can't get jobs/clients in ProZ. Dear, you have a Porsche and you wanna drive it like a Beetle? That's why.
Good clients find you and contact you according to (1) your profile; (2) your references (WWA); and (3) your points in KudoZ. So, yes, it takes some dedication and participation to see the results.
Paying is far from sufficient. Applying in the "Browse Jobs" section is for newbies who work for peanuts.
Learn how to do it correctly and pick your ripe fruit. ▲ Collapse
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None ever. Based on all the horror stories, I count myself lucky.
I’m just here for the friendly camaraderie.
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Inga Petkelyte
Portugal
Local time: 17:04
Lithuanian to Portuguese
+ ...
Mario Freitas wrote:
Let me repeat here that ProZ has many many users that pay their annual fee, keep waiting for the jobs to fall on their laps, and keep applying for jobs in the "Browse Jobs" section. Then they complain that they can't get jobs/clients in ProZ. Dear, you have a Porsche and you wanna drive it like a Beetle? That's why.
Good clients find you and contact you according to (1) your profile; (2) your references (WWA); and (3) your points in KudoZ. So, yes, it takes some dedication and participation to see the results.
Paying is far from sufficient. Applying in the "Browse Jobs" section is for newbies who work for peanuts.
Learn how to do it correctly and pick your ripe fruit.
I am definitely failing on the 3rd point. Perhaps, I am failing on the previous tow, too
I used to be an acctive KudoZ-er but everything has its limits. The last drop was a question on a pro level - I can't reproduce it, for ProZ banned me when I did in a respective thread, but believe me, I had vergonha alheia just reading it alone. The funniest thing was that posting that question was alllowed, moreover at a pro level, but refering t it was penalized. After that, I closed the KudoZ door for ever
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5 of them dates 2003 when I registered.
| | | | | Directly or indirectly, a lot | Feb 9, 2022 |
I have actually applied for one or two jobs on the job board and landed at least one. Most of the time I leave well alone!
Over the years, quite a lot of clients have found me through my profile.
The really good jobs come from networking - colleagues I have met at powwows or other events. They work in the opposite language pair and a client needs an English native speaker, or they don´t work in a particular subject area, but know I do... Or we have collaborated on larg... See more I have actually applied for one or two jobs on the job board and landed at least one. Most of the time I leave well alone!
Over the years, quite a lot of clients have found me through my profile.
The really good jobs come from networking - colleagues I have met at powwows or other events. They work in the opposite language pair and a client needs an English native speaker, or they don´t work in a particular subject area, but know I do... Or we have collaborated on large projects.
Covid had made networking like that more difficult, but let's hope we can get back to more normal meetings and contacts before too long. That is where some of my really good jobs have come from. ▲ Collapse
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